Hilsa flocks away from BangladeshHilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, is going extinct from the river system mainly due to overexploitation of the precious resources, sources at the Department of Fishing (DoF) said.

JCD leader shot, accomplice killed in mugging bidA Jatiyatabdi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader was bullet-hit and one of the two alleged muggers accompanying him was killed in firing during a bid to mug mobile telephone sets from a phone shop at Dhanmondiin

Heavy fighting in sealed FallujahUS troops battled guerrillas yesterday on the edges of Fallujah, where hundreds of Marines and Iraqi troops have surrounded one of Iraq's most violent cities in an operation to crush the insurgency there.

New SL PM turns to India for peaceSri Lanka's new prime minister Mahinda Rajapakse assumed office yesterday vowing to pursue the peace efforts of his predecessor and seek a greater Indian involvement to end ethnic bloodshed.

Resign to fulfil people's expectationLeader of the Opposition and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the alliance government should quit immediately, fulfilling people's expectation "generated by the AL general secretary's

Another Jamaat cadre caughtPolice yesterday arrested another Jamaat-e-Islami cadre with suspected links to a gunbattle in a remote hilly village in Chittagong, a day after a nephew of an Islamist party lawmaker was caught preparing

Govt to preserve Narsingdi siteThe government will preserve the archaeological site in Narsingdi where the country's oldest road, dating back to 450 BC, was unearthed last month.

Khaleda, Hasina to skip Istanbul meetBoth Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina will miss the first Congress of Democrats from Islamic World to be held in Istanbul, Turkey on April 13 and 14 due to their political

JS body blames secretary, envoy to Saudi ArabiaA parliamentary probe body yesterday accused some top government officials, including the secretary of the religious affairs ministry and Bangladesh ambassador to Saudi Arabia, of irregularities and neglect

Traffic jam cuts can save Tk 1,000crThe country can avert a yearly loss of about Tk 1,000 crore caused by the everyday traffic congestion in Dhaka by developing a modern urban transport infrastructure.

Sylhet child rape victim rescuedNGO workers on Monday came to the rescue of a girl from her desolation after being put through an ordeal of rape and weeklong confinement.

Myanmar PM visits CEPZ, flies for homeMyanmar Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt visited Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) yesterday, the last day of his three-day tour of Bangladesh, and showed keen interest in setting up such exclusive

Tackle Taliban or US troops will do itUS-led forces in Afghanistan will move into Pakistani territory to destroy Taliban and other extremist groups if Islamabad cannot do the job by itself, the US envoy in Afghanistan warned Monday.

Outlaws issue death threat to Duta presidentOutlawed Sarbahara Party members issued death threat against the Dhaka University Teachers Association (Duta) President Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique in a letter received on Sunday.

HC bans Crown, HunterThe High Court yesterday declared illegal production, marketing and selling of Crown and Hunter, two brands of beverage produced by Jamuna Group of Industries as it contained liquor.

Machine gun seized in BograBogra police yesterday retrieved a heavy machine gun with an extra barrel and parts of two Chinese rifles from a septic tank on Mohammad Ali Hospital premises.

Take steps to cut trade gapA five-day Bangladesh festival began here in the Australian city of Sydney yesterday aiming to promote Bangladesh's trade and investment.

First international furniture fair begins FridayThough local firms are manufacturing world class furniture to feed a growing upper middle class market and embarking on export in a limited scale, the potential sector is yet to get government recognition,

Same old storyThere were a few flashes of brilliance but Bangladesh's adventure in the ninth SAF Games will be remembered for its familiar ending as the curtain of the 11-day spectacle falls in Islamabad today.

Cricket:Ganguly fit for 3rd TestIndian captain Sourav Gan-guly has been passed fit to play in the final Test agai-nst Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

Ganguly also missed the first Test, which his team won by an innings.

Cricket:BD A take one dayers tooAll-rounder Manjarul Islam Rana led Bangladesh A to a comfortable 52- run victory over Zimbabwe A in the series deciding final one day match of the five-game series at the Khulna Divisional Stadium yesterday.

Cricket:End of Bevan?Australia's leading one-day batsman Michael Bevan will make an announcement on his future in the next week after being dropped as a contracted player by Cricket Australia (CA) for the 2004-05 season.

Cricket:Streak didn't retire?Contrary to claims made by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) last Friday, Heath Streak has denied resigning as national captain, and is currently seeking legal advice.

Cricket:ICC rejects Pak appealThe International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected a call from Pakistan for a code of conduct to prevent former cricketers from making unsubstantiated match-fixing claims.

Hockey:BHF's names 18 for 5th Asia CupThe Bangladesh Hockey Federa-tion (BHF) yesterday announced an 18-member under-21 team to take part in the fifth Asia Cup to be held in Karachi from April 20 to 29.

Football:Fairness winsIran handed Kyrgyzstan a 2-0 defeat in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-14 Festival but failed to secure any fair play points at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Chess:Zia checkmates MurshedGrand Master Ziaur Rahman led table with nine points after the end of the tenth round games of the Singer 30th National Chess Championship at the NSC conference room yesterday.

Football:‘Forca' official songCanadian-born singer Nelly Furtado's 'Forca' has been chosen as the official song of the Euro 2004 soccer championship being held in Portugal, tournament organisers said on Monday.

Football:FIFA drown in profit!World football's governing body FIFA announced Tuesday it had made a surplus of 141 million Swiss francs (90 million euros, 109 million dollars).

Cricket:C'paul droppedThe West Indies, down 3-0 and in danger of a Test series whitewash against England for the first time in history, have made only one change to their squad for the fourth and final Test, starting at the

Cricket:Murali decision laterSri Lanka's cricket board will not publicly release the results of an assessment into Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action until it has received an official report.

Cricket:Satadal crush CCCSatadal Club Junior defeated Chittagong City Corporation Junior by six wickets in the second match of CJKS-Ispahani Premier Division Cricket League at the MA Aziz Stadium yesterday.

Cricket:Ankur champsAnkur clinched the second Azim Group Under-13 Cricket Tournament title beating Cricket Coaching School (CCS) by six wickets in the final at the Kalabagan Club ground yesterday.

Cricket:Manikganj cricketOra Egaro Jan defeated Jagir Nabin Sangha by seven wickets in the inaugural match of the Shaheed Zia memorial cricket tournament at Muljan High School playground in Manikganj yesterday.

All highways to have trauma centresAll major highways will be especially equipped with trauma management centres for treating road accident patients on an emergency basis, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Khandekar Mosharaf Hosain

Traders down shutters, hold rallyTraders in Nathullabadh central bus terminal area in the city observed a three-hour shutdown, held a rally and brought out a procession in the city yesterday in protest against the killing of young businessmen

Govt cheated of Tk five cr a yearThe government is deprived of at least Tk five crore revenue earning every year as most of the hotels, boarding houses and restaurants in Rajshahi operate without licence, sources said.

Promoting a community-based approachRoad Traffic Injuries (RTIs) is a major threat in public health and hence is a social and economic burden worldwide -- Bangladesh is no exception. It is estimated in 2002 that road crashes killed 1.

Ethnic conflicts lead CHT to impoverishmentSuccessive governments had fuelled ethnic conflicts in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) leading the region to impoverishment, said the speakers at a seminar in the city yesterday.

Reverse southward flow of informationInformation Minister Tariqul Islam yesterday urged the electronic media of South Asian countries to reverse the existing 'southward flow' of information by maximising the use of information technology

Kajal's accomplice held trying to flee countryImmigration officials of Benapole land port in Jessore yesterday arrested an accomplice of Jubo Dal leader Rafiqul Islam Kajal, the prime suspect for the gruesome killings of an old Dhaka businessmanand

2 die in clash over land dispute in GaibandhaTwo people were killed and 35 others injured in a fierce clash between two rival groups over the possession of 188 bigha of marshy land at village Nandishahar under Palashbari upazila yesterday.

CPD launches new web siteThe Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), the premier think tank of Bangladesh, has launched its new web site to meet the increasing demand for its activities, says a press release.

US mulls sending more troops to IraqThe US military has begun considering possible reinforcements in Iraq, as the US-led coalition announced that radical Shia leader Moqtada Sadr, blamed for inciting violence last weekend, is wanted for

Advani eyes deal on temple-mosque rowIndia's deputy prime minister said yesterday agreement was in sight on resolving one of India's most explosive religious disputes over construction of a Hindu temple on the ruins of a razed mosque.

Arafat wants Hamas' entry into PAVeteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat wants the militant group Hamas to be integrated into the political structure of the Palestinian Authority, he said in an interview published in Germany Monday.

US lacked info to prevent Sept 11, says BushPresident Bush said Monday he will tell the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks that his administration lacked the information needed to prevent the terrorists from striking.

Indian parties demand ban on opinion pollIndian parties joined ranks yesterday to demand a blanket ban on opinion surveys and exit polls ahead of national elections as they had the potential to sway the vote, officials said.

Lithuanian president impeachedLithuania's parliament voted President Rolandas Paksas out of office yesterday for his links with Russian business and intelligence, making him the first European leader to be removed through impeachment.

Round-the-world in just 58 days! American adventurer Steve Fossett and his crew of 12 became the first sailors ever to circumnavigate the globe in under 60 days on Monday, beating the previous record by almost six days.

Iraq slipping into chaosIraq is in danger of sliding into chaos as US-led forces face increasingly bloody battles against both the Sunni community and the country's previously less hostile Shia Muslims, British newspapers warned

Iran to cooperate with UN nuclear watchdogA top Iranian official pledged yesterday the Islamic republic would accelerate its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and provide quick answers to quell suspicions Tehran was seeking to developnuclear

Queen appeals to set aside row over IraqQueen Elizabeth II on Monday urged France and Britain to put aside their differences, in an apparent reference to the US-British war on Iraq, at the start of a state visit to France to mark the centenary

Bush is losing support on Iraq: PollPublic approval of President Bush's handling of Iraq has slipped to a new low alongside his overall job rating after last week's grisly deaths of four contractors in Fallujah, a poll says.

Editorial:Growing Shia discontentShias in Iraq are challenging the occupying US forces. The unrest that has alarmingly spread across several cities bears an ample testimony to the community's growing disenchantment with the present situation.

A sign of hope in despairAwami League deserves appreciation and recognition from all sensible people for the most well organised nature of political protest in the country in recent months, perhaps years.

Arms cacheIt was a huge weapon haul in Chittagong, the port city of Bangladesh. We are extremely scared at this recovery. The seizure dwarfs any arms recovery in our country since 1971.It is an ominous sign.

Talking about roundaboutsWe are in a state of uncertainty. Today's islands may be destroyed tomorrow, trees uprooted and towed away without any trace. People are braving and marching ahead for the sake of a better future.

Quit IraqOne year has passed since the second Gulf war ended. Now it is time to analyse whether the war on Iraq was ' justified' or not, which was waged in the guise of "Operation Iraqi Freedom".

Row over WMDThe BBC had a bitter row with Prime Minister Tony Blair's government over Iraq's WMD issue. Weapons expert David Kelly, the source of the controversial BBC report, decided to take his own life.

How to govern?I refer to the letter of Mr. Nur Hossain (under the heading "Simply silly") in the DS of 03-April where he raised the issue of governance of this country.

Getting a British visaAfter 9/11, students of our country have become interested in studying in the UK, as getting a US visa is almost impossible for most of them.

A teacher's appealIt has been reported that the teachers of non-govt high schools, madrasahs and colleges, who have retired since the year 2000, will be donated a handsome retirement lump grant.

PO boxes not developing!For more than five years, I have been trying to hire a new Post office Box at one of the POs in Dhaka city; but each time I am told none was available (no vacancy).

Yankee accent!The local broadcasting media has been invaded (as usual!) by the drawling American accent in the English news broadcasts a message of the new millennium, propagated so vigorously by President Bush.

City streetsIt is nothing but looking back in anger. Many conscious people have written about city streets. The streets of Dhaka city have not been improved to the desired level.

A surfeit of leaders!It is a general feeling that while you were sitting on the saddle (gaddi, power), the going was good.

Corruption and BangladeshI had an opportunity to read an article written by Mr AKN Ahmed which was published in your paper on the 31st March/2004 titled- "Corruption all over the world: where Bangladesh stands.

Satellite to test Einstein forecastsA satellite designed to test two fundamental predictions made by Albert Einstein about the universe is ready for launch, 45 years after it was first proposed, Nasa and Stanford University officials said.

Dirty politics makes CU students' future uncertainPolitics of vested and partisan interest is one of the major factors responsible for the chaotic situation at Chittagong University (CU), making the academic life and future of over 20,000 students uncertain.

Third bridge on Karnaphuli still treads waterAll preparations were made to start the much-awaited construction work of the third bridge on the river Karnaphuli when a fresh government order poured cold water on all the aspirations and enthusiasm

Correctional centres need correctionMany inmates at juvenile corectional centres (now called Kishore Unnyan Kendra or Juvenile Development Centre) around the country are over the 18-year-old ceiling as there is no proper age verifying mechanism.